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The Puerto Rican Parrot, |
This endangered species is making a comeback. |
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This colorful parrot is considered one of the rarest birds in the world. An estimated 1 million of them existed in Puerto Rico when the Spanish arrived. By 1971, only 16 parrots were known to exist in the wild; another 3 lived in captivity. Although making a comeback, their numbers are still small. You can identify the parrots by their call and their color. When they fly, they voice a loud, repetitive bugle-like call. Mostly green in color, the wing tips are a brilliant blue and easily visible in flight. About 12 inches in length, the parrot also has a vivid red forehead that you're most likely to see only at close range. Its tail is short and squared-off. The Puerto Rican parrot essentially is a fruit eater but known to eat seeds, flowers and leaves. They mate for life and breed from February to June. However, if a mate dies, the surviving bird will usually find another partner by the next breeding season. This parrot doesn't build its own nest but uses cavities in palo colorado trees. A clutch of eggs numbers from 3 to 4 and the chicks hatch after 26 days. They are able to leave the nest at 2 months but remain with their parents until the next breeding season. Although the Puerto Rican parrot is the most famous, about 50 other bird species are found in the Caribbean National Forest . Return to El Yunque (Caribbean National Forest) Homepage
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